The invention relates to a system for preparing a predetermined quantity of beverage suitable for consumption using an extractable product, comprising an exchangeable capsule, and an apparatus comprising a receptacle for holding the exchangeable capsule, and a fluid dispensing device for supplying an amount of a fluid, such as water, under pressure to the exchangeable capsule, wherein the exchangeable capsule comprises a circumferential wall, a bottom closing the circumferential wall at a first end, and a lid closing the circumferential wall at a second end opposite the bottom, wherein the wall, bottom and lid enclose an inner space comprising the extractable product, wherein the bottom comprises an entrance area and the system is arranged for bringing the fluid dispensing device in fluid connection with the entrance area for supplying the fluid to the extractable product for preparing the beverage, and wherein the lid comprises an exit area and the system comprises an outlet which, in use, is in fluid communication with the exit area for draining the prepared beverage from the capsule and supplying the beverage to a container such as a cup.
Such systems are known per se. A special class of these known systems is used for preparing the beverage using a hermetically sealed capsule comprising the extractable product. During beverage preparation the entrance area of such hermetically sealed capsule is pierced, hence providing at least one entrance opening for supplying the fluid under pressure to the exchangeable product in the inner space of the capsule through the entrance opening. Providing the fluid under pressure to the inner space causes the pressure in the inner space of the capsule to rise. This, in turn, causes the exit area of the capsule to be pressed against lid piercing means present in the receptacle. When the exit area is pressed against the lid piercing means with sufficient force, the exit area tears against the lid piercing means creating at least one exit opening through which the beverage can drain from the capsule.
It has been found, however, that in the above known systems preferential paths of fluid flow may occur in the extractable product within the capsule, e.g. from the at least one entrance opening to the at least one exit opening, which may lead to undesired strength of the prepared beverage and/or variations in strength of the prepared beverage, from one capsule to another.
It is an object of the invention to improve the above system, and more specifically to at least diminish the above problem.
Thereto, according to a first aspect of the invention, a system is provided wherein the receptacle comprises bottom piercing means intended for piercing the entrance area of an alternative capsule, e.g. a hermetically sealed capsule of the known system, for creating at least one entrance opening for supplying the fluid to the extractable product through said at least one entrance opening, and wherein the entrance area of the capsule of the system according to the invention comprises an entrance filter, for supplying the fluid to the extractable product there through, which entrance filter, in use, is positioned at a distance from the bottom piercing means, such that the capsule of the system is not pierced by the bottom piercing means and the bottom stays intact.
Thus it is possible to supply the fluid to the extractable product within the capsule without piercing the capsule. Thus, the entrance filter forms an, optionally uniform, entrance area through which the fluid can be supplied to the capsule. This provides the advantage that it is possible for the beverage to enter the capsule over a larger area than when entrance openings are pierced in the known systems, thus diminishing the risk of preferential fluid paths occurring in the extractable product in the capsule and enhancing the reproducibility of the beverage strength.
Further, it has been found that providing the entrance filter reduces the risk of extractable product remains spilling from the capsule when removing the capsule from the apparatus.
Preferably, the exchangeable capsule comprises an amount of extractable product, and thus is suitable and intended, for preparing a single portion of the beverage, preferably a single cup of the beverage, e.g. from 30-200 ml of the prepared beverage. The exchangeable capsule, thus, is a single-portion-pack. In an embodiment, the capsule comprises 4-8 grams, preferably approximately 7 grams of extractable product, e.g. roasted and ground coffee.
Preferably, the exchangeable capsule is disposable after single use.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a system is provided wherein the receptacle comprises lid piercing means intended for piercing the exit area of an alternative capsule, e.g. a hermetically sealed capsule of the known system, when the exit area sufficiently presses against the lid piercing means under the influence of the pressure of the fluid and/or beverage in the capsule for creating at least one exit opening through which the beverage can drain from the alternative capsule, and wherein the exit area of the capsule of the system according to the invention comprises an exit filter, through which the beverage can drain from the capsule of the system according to the invention, wherein the lid piercing means and the exit filter are adapted to each other such that the capsule of the system, in use, is not pierced by the lid piercing means and the lid stays intact.
Thus, the exit filter forms a, optionally uniform, exit area through which the beverage can leave the capsule. This provides the advantage that it is possible for the beverage to leave the capsule over a larger area than when exit openings are formed by piercing the lid, thus diminishing the risk of preferential fluid paths occurring in the extractable product in the capsule and enhancing the reproducibility of the beverage strength. Further, the capsule not being pierced by the lid piercing means, and staying intact, provides the advantage that a predetermined pore and/or exit hole size and distribution of the exit filter, defining exit openings of the exit filter, remains intact, so that the size and distribution of exit openings does not depend on chance, as when the exit openings are formed by piercing.
Moreover, it has been found that providing the exit filter reduces the risk of extractable product remains spilling from the capsule when removing the capsule from the apparatus.
Further, if the extractable product is roasted and ground coffee, providing the exit filter provides the advantage that the exit filter may filter oils from the beverage, i.e. from the coffee, before supplying the coffee to the container, such as the cup. This may be advantageous to remove oils from the coffee which adversely affect the taste and/or quality of the coffee. It is especially advantageous to filter cafestol from the coffee, since cafestol is understood to raise the blood cholesterol content. Thus, providing the exit filter may improve the quality of the coffee with respect to consumer health.
Preferably, the exit filter is adapted to the lid piercing means, such that the capsule of the system, in use, is not pierced by the lid piercing means and the lid stays intact. Hence, only parameters of the exit filter need be chosen.
Preferably the exit filter has a sufficiently high tear strength and/or forming a sufficiently low flow resistance that the capsule of the system, in use, is not pierced by the lid piercing means and the lid stays intact. It has been found that the exit filter having the sufficiently high tear strength and/or forming the sufficiently low flow resistance does not tear against the lid piercing means.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the capsule may be provided with both the entrance filter and the exit filter as described above. Hence, in use, the capsule is not pierced by the bottom piercing means, nor the lid piercing means, so that the capsule remains fully intact. This provides the advantage that the risk of preferential fluid paths occurring in the extractable product in the capsule and the reproducibility of the beverage strength is enhanced even more.
Preferably, the entrance filter is formed by a porous sheet, such as of filtering paper, a foil, such as a polymeric film, provided with a plurality of entrance openings, or a plurality of entrance openings provided in the bottom of the capsule of the system. Hence, the entrance filter can be provided in a simple manner.